Tray-operating mechanism for compartments



0. M. OT TE TRAY OPERATING MECHANISM FOR COMPARTMENTS Feb. 17, 1931.

Filed Aug. 50, 1929 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES or o M orTE, or TABENTfiM, PENNSYLVANIA TRAY-OiERATING MEoHA IsM non COMPARTMENTS Application filed Augiist 30, 1929. Serial No. 389,464.

This invention relates to stovesv and more particularly to the construction of a stove compartment, such for example, as a broiler or oven, although it will be apparent that 5 the invention is particularly applicable to compartments generallyand is not necessarily limited in its application to stove compartments. '4

An object of the invention is to provide 10 tray operating mechanismfor' compartments that shall be simple in construction, economical to manufacture and easily installed.

Another object of the invention, is to provide tray operating mechanism for com- 15 partments that shall be operable to effect movement of the trayin'to'and out of the compartments. 1

A further object of; the invention is to provide for movingtrays, drawers, andthe like, into and out of compartments in such a manner that an operator shall not be required to touch the trays, drawers, and the like, with his hands.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved operating mechanism for trays, drawers, and the like, that can be applied to orinstalledin ovens or compartments already in use. 7 1

Other objects of the invention will be ap parent to those skilled in the'art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which;

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an oven compartment, the top wall and the door thereof being removed, illustrating a tray operating mechanism arranged and constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is' a partial front view in elevation I of the device shown in Fig.1; and

* Fig. 3 is a'partial view in perspective of a detail embodied in the tray operating mechanism. 1

Throughout the drawing and the specification like reference characters indicate like parts. I I

In the drawings an oven compartment is illustrated having side walls 1-and'2, a back wall 3 and an open fro'ntt disposed to be closed by a door notshown. V

The side Walls 1 and 2 may be'provided with members 5 having a plurality of laterally extending parallel ledges 6 for receiving side members 7 of a frame comprising the side members 7 and cross members 8 and 9. The side members 7 may be of channel shape in order that a tray 10 may be slidably disposed in the channels thereof. In order that the tray may move freely in the channels of the side members 7., the cross member 8 is bent downwardly at the ends, as shown in Fig, 2, thereby providing sufiicient clearance between the bottom of the tray and the cross member; 1

Since the tray 10 is slidably disposed in the channels of the frame members 7, the tray and the frame may be moved telescopically with reference to one another. Also since the tray 10 is carried by the frame, the frame and the tray may be moved simultaneously on the ledges 6. V

Since it is highly desirable to have tray constructions for oven compartments of such a character that the tray maybe moved entirely out of the oven for the purpose of inspecting foods which are being cooked or broiled in the compartment while still maintaining the tray supported in its proper position without requiring the operator tohold the .tray by his or her hands, the frame isso constructed that it may be moved partially out of the oven. r

If the frame is moved partially out of the oven it is supported in position by the ledges 6 .of the members 5. The tray 10 may then be moved for practical purposes substantially out of the oven or as far out as is necessary. VVhenthe tray is moved substantially out of the oven it is supported by the channel members 7 of the frame. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to hold the front end of the tray to prevent it sliding out of the oven. When the foods have been inspected,

the tray may be moved back into the frame,

and the frame and tray movedinto the oven.

In order to avoid the necessity of the operator touching the frame and the tray by his or her hands to effect movement of the tray out of the oven or into the oven, as the case may be, atray and frame operating mechanism is provided thatcomprises links 11 and 12, a lever 13 and two flexible connectors 14 and 15. The flexible connectors 14 and 15 are provided with hand grips 16 in order to render operation of the tray and frame operating mechanism easy.

One end of the link 11 is bent at substantially right angles and journaled in a loop or hollow support 17 mounted upon the back wall 3 of the compartment. The other end of the link 11 is also bent at substantially right angles and is journaled in a bearing 18 mounted on the right-hand end of the lever 13.

The lever 13 is pivotally supported medially of its length on the cross member 9 by means of a bolt 19. The lever 13 is, therefore, disposed to move with scissors-like motion with reference to the cross member 9. One end of the lever 12 is bent at substantially right angles and journaled in a bearing 21 mounted near the left-hand end of the lever 13. The other end of the link 12 is also bent at substantially right angles and is journaled in an aperture or opening 22 extending through the inner end of the tray 10.

One end of the flexible connector 15 is secured to the bolt 19 that extends through the cross member 9 and the lever 13. Therefore, if the operator pulls outwardly on connector 15, the frame will be pulled outwardly through the front of the oven. In order to provide for pulling the frame into the oven, a pulley 24:, or similar device, is provided and mounted on the back wall 3 of the compartment. The flexible connector passes over the pulley 2 1 and is connected to the bolt 19; therefore, when the connector 14 is pulled outwardly with reference to the oven, the frame is pulled inwardly into the oven.

lVhen the frame and tray 10 are positioned within the oven, the respective positions of the tray and the frame are indicated by broken lines. Also, the position of the links 11 and 12 and the lever 13 are indicated in broken lines. When the tray and the frame are in the oven, the links 11 and 12 and the lever 13 are approximately folded one upon the other.

lVhen it is desired to move the tray 10 out of the oven to a position where foods may be easily inspected, the cord or connector 15 is pulled outwardly with reference to the oven. The frame is, therefore, moved outwardly to a position partially out of the oven, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, thereby causing the links 11 and 12 and the lever 13 to assume the extended position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1.

As the frame is pulled outwardly with reference to the oven, the lever 13 is caused to move in a counter-clockwise direction because the link 11 is moved in a clockwise direction. Since the lever 13 is moving in a counterclockwise direction, the link 12 will be caused to be moved in a clockwise direction. Since the link 12 is moving in a clockwise direction when the frame is being pulled outwardly from the oven, the tray 10 will be moved telescopically with reference to the frame.

It is to be noted that the link 11 operates as a stop for the frame as it is being pulled outwardly from the oven, that is, the frame can be pulled outwardly only a predetermined distance depending upon the length of the link 11 and the length of the lever from its pivot point to the bearing 18. lVhen the tray 10 is being moved out of the oven telescopically with reference to the frame and it is in the position indicated by the line A-A, it is to be noted that the left-hand end of the lever 13 is in contact with the inner end of the tray 10. The left-hand end of the lever 13, therefore, operates to push the tray 10 when the connector 15 is first pulled outwardly and to give the tray suflicient impetus to cause the link 12 to separate from the lever 13. On further outward movement of the connector 15 the link 12 pushes the tray 10 to the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1. The link 12, therefore, pushes the tray outwardly and also limits the outward movement thereof, making it impossible for the tray 10 to be accidentally moved entirely out of the oven when the connector 15 is pulled outwardly.

- The frame and the tray 10 may be removed from the oven for cleaning by merely disconnecting the links 11 and 12 from the lever 13, or if it is desired only to remove the tray 10, the link 12 may be removed. Also since the frame and the tray are easily removable, because of the fact that the links 11 and 12 are removable, the frame may be positioned in any one of the ledges 6 of the members 5 according to the particular position the operator may desire to have the tray with reference to the flame or source of heat in the oven.

In order that the tray and frame operating mechanism may function properly irrespective of the vertical position of the tray and the frame, a plurality of supports 17 are provided, as illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown these supports are spaced one above the other in staggered relation.

Since the supports 17 disposed in the right hand vertical row are closer to the righthand end of the lever 13 than the supports 17 disposed in the lefthand vertical row, the link 11 will not function the same in the righthand row as in the left-hand row. Therefore, in order that the link 11 will function in the same manner irrespective of the vertical position of the frame, an additional bearing 21 is provided at the extreme end of the righthandportion ofthe lever 13. Therefore, if the frame is disposed in the ledges 6 immediately above the ledge upon which the frame is supported in Fig. 2, the link 11 is journaled llO in the bearing 24 and in the loop 17. The

link 11, therefore, occupiesv the same relative position as the position shown in Fig. 2 and the tray operating mechanism willfunction in the same manner.

lVhile the tray operating mechanism has been described as applicable to oven compartments for stoves, it will be readily understood that this type of. mechanism may be applied to any application where it is desired to utilize a tray, pan, or the like, that has telescopic relation with a frame that is disposed for mounting-in any type of compartment. In adapting the type of tray operating mechanismrto' other types of compartments, other than ovens, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made in the invention in accordance with the particular requirements of the application without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. It is therefore desired that only such limitations shall be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a compartment having side and back walls and an open front pro vided with a door, a frame movably disposed in the compartment, a pulley disposed on the back wall, a flexible connector having one end secured to the frame and the other end passing over the pulley and extending through the door of the compartment, and another flexible connector having one end secured to the frame and the other end accessible from the front of the compartment, the pulley connector being arranged to draw the frame into the compartment and the other connector beingarranged to drawthe frame out of the compartment.

2. In combination, an oven compartment, having a door, a frame movably disposed in the compartment, a tray slidably disposed in the frame, two flexible connectors accessible from the sides of the door, one of said connectors being disposed to move the frame partially out of the compartment, and the other connector being operable to move the frame into the compartment, and link mechanism for actuating the tray telescopically with reference to the frame in response to movement of the frame.

3. In combination, a compartment having side and back walls and anopen front provided with a door, a frame slidably disposed in said compartment, a tray slidably disposed on said frame, iink mechanism attaching said frame to the back wall of said oven and said tray to said frame and flexible connectors for moving said frame into and out of said compartment, said link mechanism being adapted to limit the outward movement of said frame and to move the tray telescopiorno M. OTTE. 

